This application is based upon Japanese Patent Applications No. 2002-3551, filed on Jan. 10, 2002, and No. 2002-18708, filed on Jan. 28, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner which has an automatic air-conditioning control function and a learning control function of a passenger""s preference for reflecting the passenger""s preference to air-conditioning.
2. Related Art
An air conditioner, such as the one described above, has a predetermined control characteristic, and automatically controls the condition inside a vehicle by controlling a blow-out temperature, the amount of the conditioned air blown into a passenger compartment, a sucking air mode and a blow-out mode based on the predetermined control characteristic. In addition, the air conditioner alters the control characteristic based on the information of the operation in air conditioning by the passenger. That is, the air conditioner learns the passenger""s preference by activating the learning control function.
An air conditioner, described in JP-A-04-131641, has a memory for memorizing respective control characteristics for respective passengers as a target person for the air-conditioning in the vehicle. The air conditioner recognizes a target passenger for current air-conditioning by using monitor image information, and controls the air-conditioning based on operating information for the air-conditioning by the target passenger that is stored in the memory. Thus, the air conditioner controls the air-conditioning based on each passenger""s preference.
These kinds of air conditioners, however, take a relatively long time to learn the passenger""s preference when the predetermined control characteristic is significantly different from his/her preference because the passenger has to adjust the amount or the temperature of the air blown into the passenger compartment, or the like, a large number of times until the altered conditioning characteristic becomes close to his/her preference.
Not an air conditioner, but an automatic transmission control unit, described in JP-A-09-210195, has plural preset shift maps, and selects one of them in accordance with the driving operation information by a driver and uses it after the selection. This approach is also not enough to learn the passenger""s preference quickly. Moreover, the selected pattern may not be suitable for the preference.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle air conditioner that controls air-conditioning based on a control characteristic and that can approach the passenger""s preference rapidly.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the air conditioner has a controlling unit for automatically controlling air-conditioning in a vehicle in accordance with a control characteristic. The air conditioner determines the control characteristic as a specific control characteristic from plural control characteristics based on at least one of the personal information of a passenger in the vehicle, the operating information that is caused by the passenger during a predetermined time interval.
The control characteristic may be determined by selecting one from the plural control patterns. The air conditioner can determine the one by selecting based on the personal information or the operating information. Also, the control characteristic may be determined by calculating the personal information or the operating information.
The personal information includes, for example, that the passenger has a long hair, or that the passenger wears contact lenses on his/her eyes. Normally, these people do not prefer the strong stream of the conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment since the strong stream easily causes a disorder of the hair or a dry condition of the contact lenses. Therefore, the air conditioner can determine the control pattern which includes a low amount of air blown into the passenger compartment for those people based on the personal information or the operating information by the passenger.
The personal information of the passenger can be obtained from a passenger""s belongings, for example, an electrical communicating means, specifically, a radio communicating means such as a cell phone, a personal digital assistant or the like.
As to the length of the hair of the passenger, the air conditioner can determine the length based on an image recognition of the passenger.
The predetermined time interval described above is, for example, a period in which a predetermined number of days has passed after the user (passenger) purchases the vehicle, or in which the air conditioner has been operated a predetermined number of times after the user purchase the vehicle.
Preferably, the air conditioner learns passenger""s preference by altering the selected control pattern based on the operation by the passenger. Learning the passenger""s preference starts from the specific control characteristic so that the preference can be realized in a relatively short time.
The specific control characteristic may be cleared by operation of the passenger.
The passenger compartment may have plural distinct zones for air-conditioning. In this case, the air conditioner may determine the respective control patterns for the respective distinct zones to be suitable for the respective passengers.
Preferably, the air conditioner can change the specific control pattern based on the personal information or the operating information by the passenger when the passenger changes.
Before the specific control characteristic is selected from the plural control patterns, the air conditioner controls the air-conditioning based on a standard control characteristic previously set in the air conditioner, and alters the standard control characteristic based on the operation for the air-conditioning by the passenger. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the air conditioner controls the air-conditioning based on the specific control characteristic selected from the plural control patterns and alters the specific control characteristic based on the operation for the air-conditioning by the passenger.
With this feature, the air conditioner can control the air-conditioning using the standard control characteristic while learning the passenger""s preference so that the control of the air conditioning gets close to the passenger""s preference before the specific control characteristic is determined.
Preferably, the air conditioner informs the passenger that the specific control characteristic is determined.
Preferably, the air conditioner alters a normal control characteristic over a wide range during a predetermined time, and alters the specific control characteristic over a narrow range after the predetermined time has passed.
With this feature, the air-conditioning, just after the vehicle is purchased, is roughly close to the passenger""s preference over the wide range, and then, the air-conditioning is close to it over the narrow range so that the passenger""s preference is achieved soon.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.